diff --git a/scripts/build/binary b/scripts/build/binary
index 7c9626a87e..7d134fc6f5 100755
--- a/scripts/build/binary
+++ b/scripts/build/binary
@@ -55,19 +55,23 @@ if [ -n "$GO_STRIP" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ "$(go env GOOS)" = "windows" ]; then
-    # Generate a Windows file version of the form major,minor,patch,build
-    VERSION_QUAD=$(printf "%s" "$VERSION" | sed -re 's/^([0-9.]*).*$/\1/' | tr . , | sed -re 's/,$//' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+$/\0,0/' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+,[0-9]+$/\0,0/' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+,[0-9]+,[0-9]+$/\0,0/')
+    : "${WINDRES=$($(go env CC) --print-prog-name=windres)}"
+    if [ -z "$WINDRES" ]; then
+        >&2 echo "Empty WINDRES detected, skipping manifesting binary"
+    else
+        # Generate a Windows file version of the form major,minor,patch,build
+        VERSION_QUAD=$(printf "%s" "$VERSION" | sed -re 's/^([0-9.]*).*$/\1/' | tr . , | sed -re 's/,$//' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+$/\0,0/' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+,[0-9]+$/\0,0/' | sed -re 's/^[0-9]+,[0-9]+,[0-9]+$/\0,0/')
 
-    set --
-    [ -n "$VERSION" ]      && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_VERSION=\"$VERSION\""
-    [ -n "$VERSION_QUAD" ] && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_VERSION_QUAD=$VERSION_QUAD"
-    [ -n "$GITCOMMIT" ]    && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_COMMIT=\"$GITCOMMIT\""
+        set --
+        [ -n "$VERSION" ]      && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_VERSION=\"$VERSION\""
+        [ -n "$VERSION_QUAD" ] && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_VERSION_QUAD=$VERSION_QUAD"
+        [ -n "$GITCOMMIT" ]    && set -- "$@" -D "DOCKER_COMMIT=\"$GITCOMMIT\""
 
-    target="$(dirname "$0")/../../cli/winresources/rsrc_$(go env GOARCH).syso"
-    mkdir -p "$(dirname "${target}")"
-    : ${WINDRES:="$($(go env CC) --print-prog-name=windres)"}
-    "$WINDRES" -i "$(dirname "$0")/../winresources/docker.rc" -o "$target" --use-temp-file "$@"
-    echo "package winresources" > "$(dirname "${target}")/stub_windows.go"
+        target="$(dirname "$0")/../../cli/winresources/rsrc_$(go env GOARCH).syso"
+        mkdir -p "$(dirname "${target}")"
+        "$WINDRES" -i "$(dirname "$0")/../winresources/docker.rc" -o "$target" --use-temp-file "$@"
+        echo "package winresources" > "$(dirname "${target}")/stub_windows.go"
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo "Building $GO_LINKMODE $(basename "${TARGET}")"